UNEMPLOYED RETURNED SOLDIERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 12 April 1934, Page 7

UNEMPLOYED RETURNED SOLDIERS

[To the Editor! Sir,—Once again Anzac Day draws near and no doubt we returned men will be called upon to parade at the Church Steps with all our medals on to pay respect to our brave fellows who have gone before. Now. Sir, may I make a suggestion. Tn 1914-1918 on our departure were were told what brave men we were and all the good things that we were to get on our return. I suggest, Sir. that we returned men turn out to a man with our medals on our breasts and the placard on our backs worded Unemployed. Surely a, demonstration of this kind would help i to loosen the purse strings of our monied j men for whom we gave our all. No j doubt the great sacrifice our dead made was too great, when the majority of ns can only earn 16s 6d per week. With that we have to bring up a family and pay house rent. The landlord makes no difference because one has fought for one’s country. Tf the rent is not there every week one must emit. In my own case, I went down to the Home boat to 1 get a ,job. I am a married man with • four of a family and have to pay £1 per: week rent, and to see single men get a call before me hurts quite, a, little, especially lining a returned soldier and, one that the bite Mr Massey said would he lionp the poorer. lam not blaming tlie men who engage the labour; perhaps they don’t know, nor do I blame the single men. Their lot is had enough, God only knows. I suppose we could go Jo the wharf with our | medals on, so as we would he known, i but one does not like doing that, and another thing, the salt air might tarnish them. In concluding, Sir, I hope those in • responsible positions see that a- married man with a large family and a returned soldier gets preference to a single man. , I would he proplnrd to supply the | placards with tin words Unemployed if the R.S.A. is prepared to let us do so.— I am, etc., SOLDIER. Nelson, 11th April.